City monitor reports

We audit all housing in the local area. We report at the end of each financial year.

Our community strategic plan, Sustainable Sydney 2030, contains 10 strategic directions. Strategic direction 8 – housing for a diverse population – aims for a wider range of housing so people who provide vital city services can afford to live in the local area.

Our local area has a rapidly growing population and we support increased dwelling numbers. The population in the local area is anticipated to reach around 322,500 by 2031, and over 350,000 by 2041. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated resident population for our local area at June 2019 was 246,343.

In our community strategic plan, according to target 3, by 2030 there will be at least 138,000 dwellings in the city, including another 48,000 dwellings compared to the June 2007 data baseline, requiring an increased diversity of household types such as more families.

The figures quoted in the plan relate to private dwellings as defined by the ABS, which applies to all housing except boarding houses (class 1B and class 3), student accommodation and residential care services such as aged-care facilities. It includes social and public housing, affordable rental housing and privately owned or rented housing.

The June 2007 baseline figure for these dwellings was 89,749 private dwellings, sourced from the 2006 ABS census of population and housing and the 2007 floor space and employment survey. 

At June 2020, there were 119,019 private dwellings counted in the local area. There were a further 14,657 non-private dwellings counted. 

The housing audit data is sourced from our floor space and employment survey and yearly updates from statistics such as demolished dwellings and changes of use. These yearly statistics include:

• current dwelling stock (buildings and dwellings)
• private dwellings
• non-private dwellings
• number of dwellings by village area
• building structure
• dwelling structure including net yearly increase
• dwelling type (tenure) including net yearly increase. 

Our residential monitor provides information on the supply of new housing in the local area including the growth and distribution of residential development which informs us and the public of residential pattern changes.

Information on residential projects is mapped, tabulated, graphed and described based on the status of developments at the end of the reporting period.

Developments are grouped by the following categories:

• Completed – residential developments that have completed construction within 5 years of the report date.
• Commenced – residential developments that are currently under construction but have yet to be completed at the report date.
• Approved – residential developments that have been approved by relevant authorities but have yet to start at the report date.
• Lodged – residential developments that have been submitted for approval but have not yet been approved by the relevant authority at the report date.

The number of rooms in boarding houses, aged-care facilities and student accommodation developments are also reported in the residential monitor.

The total number of dwellings completed, under construction and approved are included in the summary of residential activity. However, only residential developments of 5 units or more are tabulated in the village sections.

Our commercial development monitor provides up-to-date information on commercial development in the local area, which complements the residential monitor.

The commercial development monitor reports on 2 separate areas:

1.   The combined village areas of CBD and Harbour and Chinatown and CBD South.
2.   The remaining 8 village areas combined.

Information on commercial projects is mapped, tabulated, graphed and described based on the status of developments at the end of the reporting period. Developments are grouped by the following categories:

• Completed – commercial developments that have completed construction within 5 years of the report date.
• Commenced – commercial developments that are currently under construction but have yet to be completed at the report date.
• Approved – commercial developments that have been approved by relevant authorities but have yet to start at the report date.
• Lodged – commercial developments that have been submitted for approval but have not yet been approved by the relevant authority at the report date.

Trends in approvals, completions, office vacancies and absorption of office space are also provided.

The visitor accommodation monitor provides up-to-date information on the supply and demand for visitor accommodation in the local area.

Updated periodically, the monitor provides details of hotel and serviced apartment projects in the local area according to their approved, commenced or completed status.

Trends in the total stock of accommodation, occupancy rates and overseas visitors to Sydney are also provided.